Dancing Thieves
by Bartkartoffeln
Summary: During the Sun and Moon Festival, Zelda, a young thief, breaks into Ganondorf's garden - rumor has it, that he possesses a tree that carries real sapphires. Despite being extra careful, he catches her, seemingly amused by this bold 'guest'. She manages to escape, but later she notices that her only heirloom is gone. Assuming Ganondorf stole it, she makes plans to get it back.
1. Rare Flowers

This is my entry for this year's Zelgan Big Bang on tumblr. I hope you enjoy this little story!  
For all those of you who might wait for an update on Who Wants To Fight Forever: Writing this Zelgan story delayed any progress on wwtff, but now that the Zelgan Big Bang is over, I will catch up on that!

* * *

Zelda sneaked through the shadows of the Noble Quarter. A warm summer breeze and splendid fullmoon drove the people outside, seeking the comfort of gardens and establishments. It was the first night of the Sun-and-Moon-Festival, the biggest festivity of the summer months. Everyone celebrated.

The city brimmed with liveliness, overflowed with merchants from all over the country. Colorful lamps decorated every street, even the filthy ones in the slums. The days were too hot to do much outside, so the people flooded the streets at night, filling the cobble stoned paths, dressed in light fabrics of garish colors. Some wore even sun or moon masks to honor the two deities.  
It was the perfect time for a well planned theft that would make her rich.

For weeks the rumor of Ganondorf Dragmire's sapphire cherries coursed through the city. The few nobles he invited to his exuberantly ostentatious villa claimed, he possessed a cherry tree with fruits that were the purest and bluest sapphires.  
Sapphires, the holy jewels of the Great Goddess Nayru, were rare and costly. Only two of those ominous cherries would be worth a fortune. IF the rumors were true!  
Various members of the Guild of Thieves had affirmed the talk.

None, however, had been able to steal any of those cherries yet. Zelda intended to be the first one and had prepared to be on her way in case of success. Failure would most certainly mean death or the loss of both hands, which was about the same.

The man she intended to steal from was a cunning person with origins barely known. Yet with his wisdom, strategical knowledge and war experience he'd forged his way to the position of High Advisor to the King and Member of City Council. Rumor had it he lived with only women. He would even pick some of them from the streets. Those of them who did not serve him as warriors or personal guards were cooks, maids, messengers or lovers, they said.

The bell of the central tower rang, deep and sonorous. The next change of guards would happen in fifty heartbeats. She closed her eyes, listening to the sounds of night. Laughter. Steps. The humming of moonlight bees. The soft breeze caressing her sweaty skin where it was not covered by dark clothes.

When the sounds changed in the same way they did every third night, she started to climb the wall at the spot where she had eroded the mortar over the weeks.  
She pulled herself up over the edge, looking for unexpected trouble. After another heartbeat, she slipped over the wall in perfect silence.

On the other side, Zelda let herself fall into the shadow of a sage bush with violet-blue blossoms, rolling right under it. She started to count heartbeats. The new patrol appeared at twenty, walking the walls and the garden in a very unpredictable manner.

Zelda closed her eyes, slowing down her breathing. She waited for the next change of guards at midnight. At that time, the train of musicians should pass by this villa, hopefully distracting the bronze skinned warriors. They were rather fond of music and musicians, she knew. With luck, the change of guards would take longer, long enough for her to steal AND leave unseen.

If not? She'd had to wait another two hours. Patience and accuracy were some of the most important traits of a thief, together with silence and deftness. She was proud of her skills, though none other than her would acknowledge them.

When finally the noise of the nearing musicians grew loud, the full moon took its most inconvenient position: zenith. She would be exposed during her sprint to the tree which stood in the middle of the garden. There would be no shadows she could use on her way. Swiftness was of the essence.

The guards retreated from their positions. Zelda gunned out of her hideout and raced for the tree. Its shadow was shallow shelter, the silver light of the moon too bright on the soft grass around. She reached swiftly for the lowest hanging fruit, plucking it into her little bag.

It was hard and round and smooth, crystal clear like the most beautiful sapphires. It WAS a sapphire! What magic was this, the rarest gems in all the lands growing like fruits on a tree?

She reached for the next blue cherry, when a hand covered her mouth, drawing her against a foreign body. The shining blade of a dagger pushed softly against her throat.  
Zelda froze.

"And which unbidden guest would this be?" asked a deep, rich voice right beside her left ear. She was whirled around, her back colliding with the tree. Another cherry fell to the ground, sparkling in the moonlight.

Her wide stare fell upon golden eyes, gleaming, belonging to a mountain of a man. His hair had the color of uncut rubies, his skin was a rich, dark gold-bronze.  
He looked at her curiously. "So?"

She still hadn't answered his question.  
"Only an admirer of this garden's beauty," she breathed. He seemed amused.

"Did you know that blue is the rarest color in all flora, rarest in all lands and most of all here, in our warm climate?"

She kept silent. Her eyes darted from left to right, looking for a way out, not caring about lessons on flowers and colors at all.  
He chuckled. His warm hand captured her chin. This made her focus him again, her gaze defiant.  
He inspected her for many heartbeats, making her feel warm under his intensive stare.

"What exceptionally beautiful eyes you have. I never saw a blue this deep and clear," he murmured, tilting her head this way and that way. "Clearly, Nayru blessed you. Though She also should have blessed you with the wisdom to stay out of these gardens."

Zelda glared at him. Why didn't he just call the guards?  
She pressed herself harder against the tree, trying to remove some pressure of his blade. With a chuckle, he let the weapon sink, but caged her with his body. She could smell the spices of foreign tobacco on him, see the silken shimmer on the tightly woven, smooth fabric of his tunic. The collar was intricately stitched with gold thread. The thread alone would probably get her by for two weeks.

Zelda shrunk when his presence got overwhelming. The fingers holding her chin wandered over her shoulder down to her hand and lifted it to his lips.  
She stared.  
A smirk lifted his mouth corners, while he touched her knuckles with his mouth, tenderly, his eyes glowing with mischief.

Shaking herself out of shock, she reclaimed her hand and hit his nose with the heel of the other. She let herself fall to the ground, rolled from out under him and ran for the wall, unwinding a grappling hook from her belt.  
Her heart beat like a wild thing, when she threw it, but she measured well and a moment later, she climbed the wall again.

He didn't call for the guards. Zelda didn't know why, maybe he was a lunatic. But she had one cherry, and he just let her go! Fast, fast, fast, she told herself. Down the other side she went, darting into the next street, finding a spot with many people, slowing down, tearing off her mask and vanishing in the anonymity of the masses.  
_

"Are you hurt, my Lord? What are you doing, handling an intruder yourself? Have you not the best guards for that?" Nabooru scolded him softly, stepping at his side under the tree.  
Ganondorf laughed. "Why? I was only trying to pluck an exceptionally rare flower.."  
She gave him an arched brow and The Look.

With deep felt amusement, he dabbed at the blood dripping from his nose. "So much fire, and such captivating eyes."  
"Shall I tail them?" his friend and personal guard asked.  
The advisor shook his head. "No. They will soon figure out that those cherries are just that: Cherries. Rare and unique in their texture and look, but no real sapphires. This theft rather amused me."

With a smirk, he held up a small, golden medallion, the size of a big gold coin.  
"Very unusual for a young thief to take such jewelry onto a coup, don't you think?"

Nabooru shrugged.

The engraved letters on the medallion's surface were dark with the dirt of fingers having rubbed over them again and again. This was not a mere trinket. It was indeed a treasure. A lucky charm. A beloved item.

Nabooru shook her head. "Thieves are a far too common plague in this city, it seems."  
Ganondorf gave another chuckle and smiled. "They will come back for this, undoubtedly."

She sighed. "You obviously look forward to that. And? What makes you think they are rare?"

"Why, because the rarest flowers are those blooming under great adversities."  
He picked up the fallen cherry and grinned.


	2. A Theft Uncalled For

Zelda ran through the small alleys of Haya and took the corners as sharp as possible. She knew, the next plaza that was harboring hundreds of people would be near. She could lose any pursuers there. While running, she ripped off her mask and hood and let it fall over her upper body like a cape.

It was a cunning construction of cloth, dark on the outside, but a bright sand color on the inside.

She kept running and loosened two folds which were slung around her body to sit tight. When she reached the plaza, she slipped into the crowd of celebrating people, pulling down the loosened folds. They fell free like a skirt and added further color to her attire.

Looking entirely different now, Zelda wound her way deftly through the crowd, hoping to get away from any possible pursuers for sure.

When she finally reached the small side street where some sturdy plant climbed a rusty pipe up to the roof, she gave herself a moment to breathe. It wasn't the best idea to do it here, where excrements poured into the gutter under the pipe end.

Wrinkling her nose, Zelda grabbed the plant and made her way up onto the roof of the shady street shop. From there, she climbed through the window into her room on the first floor. She closed the wooden shutter behind her, throwing her bag onto her only chair before sitting down on the bed.

What a night.

She fumbled for her necklace, the one thing that gave her peace and focus. It was gone. Zelda panicked immediately. Hastily, she got rid of her thief's attire and searched every pocket, every fold, and her entire bag for the medallion.

It was still gone. Realization swept through her. Under the tight clothes, there was no way she could have just lost it. So it must have been stolen, and going through the events of the night, she knew exactly who had it.

Ganondorf the Great Advisor.

"That stinking desert worm!", she cursed, frustration making her want to cry. This medallion was all she had! Her biggest treasure, her only hint to ever find her parents if she could believe the women who took her in as a baby.

And if she didn't find them, she could still sell it as her very last resort whenever times got really hard. It was solid gold, with a tiny sapphire, ruby and emerald sunk into the edge. One side had engraved a pattern she found familiar but couldn't tell why, and the other had engraved words she could read but weren't a language she understood.

The medallion was worth a small fortune for sure, but despite her dream to have a better life, she could not bring herself to sell it. Not as long as she got by. Not for her dream. The medallion was so much more to her than the worth in coins.

The young thief sank to the floor, bag still clutched, her grappling hook and other tools scattered around her. She did not allow herself to sob over this.

There was only one last thing in her bag: The blue fruit that looked like a smooth sapphire cherry. Zelda took it out slowly. It had a small fissure that oozed sticky liquid.

"It's just a fruit.", she whispered. While the cherry looked like a smoothly polished sapphire and certainly was harder than the cherries she knew, it still was just a fruit. Blue and special, but nothing you could sell for a lot of money.

Ganondorf beat her to her game without even trying hard. He stole her necklace and she didn't even get something close to that worth in return.

Beaten, Zelda gathered her tools back into her bag, hid it in the secret double bottom of her cupboard and rinsed off the worst dust and sweat. She would need to fetch new water for her washstand and morning tea tomorrow.

Angry and frustrated, she went to bed. She would need a good plan to get her medallion back.

Ganondorf sat on a nest of cushions, studying his newest trophy. It was a far more delightful task to ponder over his nightly visitor and the medallion instead of reading the boring reports from the west border.

The border patrol's leader not only had a very sloppy handwriting, they also lacked the skill to write reports with essential information. Instead, every report was a rambling pile of words that seemed even deem the movement of sand crickets important.

When a servant entered the room, he finally looked up from the golden medallion.

"Your morning tea, my Lord." the young woman said, bringing a tablet with tea and a plate of fruits as well as one with light breakfast to the table.

"Thank you, Llania. You may go and have your own breakfast now. You have been up all night."

"As have you, my Lord." Llania retorted softly. She retreated with a small bow, only to be replaced by Nabooru.

Ganondorf poured himself a cup of strong, dark tea. Before Nabooru could even start to scold him for yet another night without sleep, he tossed her the medallion. "Do you know what language that is on the backside?"

She caught the golden trinket mid-air and flipped it. "It looks like a very old version of Hyrian. Haven't seen anything like this for a long time."

The Great Advisor leaned back into the cushions and smiled. "Indeed. And have a closer look at the edge. Those gems are not only of highest quality, they also are cut in a very old fashion."

"Why would someone possess this and still try to steal your blue cherries? Can't be just something the little thief stole, can it?" Nabooru said. Ganondorf had mentioned something similar earlier, she remembered.

"Exactly. This can by no chance be a mere trophy. This belongs legally to our thief and must have a tremendous personal value to them." The Great Advisor sounded delighted.

Nabooru threw him the coin and sighed. "And here we go. You found another game you can entertain yourself with, right? Is this the moment where you ask me to find the intruder anyway?"

He chuckled. "Where would be the fun in that? It is not a game when I send forth others to play it for me. I will give them the opportunity to confront me outside my villa, however."

"You accepted the offer of being Great Giver, didn't you?" Nabooru groaned.

Ganondorf chuckled again and sipped his tea with an ominous smile.


	3. Luck or Lure

Zelda woke with first light as usual. Despite her short night, her inner clock would recognize the dawn of day and thus the task of finding new work assignments.

She closed her eyes again and enjoyed the comfort of her bed for a few minutes more.

Finally she got up and quickly washed herself with what was left in her washbowl. Fetching new water would have to wait til evening.

After firing up the stove, Zelda made herself a breakfast of pan-fried bread and eggs with greens. Over chewing a few bites of her meal, she contemplated what to do first.

She needed to find work, that much was sure. Arimu would be her first stop. If she got a few quick assignments, that would be enough to secure her daily income and give her the opportunity to start research in the afternoon.

Where to begin, she didn't know. Probably the Guild, or maybe the library.

The young thief donned her day clothes, light fabric in the colors of sand and copper and rust. Colors might be one of the city's most known trading goods, but the poor still couldn't afford them. The red stones from the mountain mines, however, were plentiful.

And so, rust and copper were the most common colors for everyone.

Zelda wore wide trousers and wrapped a scarf around her head and a sash around her waist to hold together the surcoat she was wearing. With her bound breasts and the headscarf, she could pass as boy or girl.

It wasn't essential to get good assignments. But some customers still were of the opinion certain tasks should be done by men. Thankfully, those customers became scarcer.

And the sleeveless surcoat showed off her muscles, which was helpful if you wanted to get the harder but also better-paid jobs.

Shouldering her light pouch, she stepped out of her room. It was useless to lock the door, there was nothing to steal from her anyway.

Zelda took the stairs down to street level and bought some fruits from the shady street shop, before taking the shortest route to Arimu's office. It was a long walk from the poorest quarter of the city to the busy markets, where all patrons had their offices.

The markets were brimming with life, even early in the morning. Market stalls were set up, while others already did business, praising their goods to the passing people. Zelda ignored them all. She had no money to spend for luxuries right now.

Winding her way between the many citizens, she finally reached the street with the offices. Lining both sides of the wide street, they had big boards with the most urgent assignments. To be able to claim one, you needed to have a license. Not everyone could afford that, but some patrons would give the poor assignments anyway.

You also needed to be able to read, but the laws made sure of at least that. Everyone could read. Even the poorest were assigned to schools for reading and writing lessons.

Arimu had his office at the end of the street. It was tiny, a room not bigger than four strides on one side and three on the other. The spindly man sat behind a wooden table that had been wobbling ever since Zelda knew the patron, and behind him was a shelf that filled the whole back of the office.

The many compartments were filled with scrolls. Those were the assignments, sorted first by urgency, then by complexity. When she entered, Arimu didn't even look up from his lists. "It's your lucky day. One of our delivery boys is sick, and I need someone to take up his task. You up for it?" He pointed at a bright blue scroll.

Zelda stood straighter immediately and nodded. Bright blue scrolls were either wealthy merchants or nobility. If she just finished this one job, she would have money to get buy for a whole week when she was being resourceful.

If that delivery went well and the boy stayed sick? Best chance of getting the same job twice in a row.

"Here's the basket. Go to the upper market and fetch the best melons you can find and bring them to the building in the assignment."

He handed her the scroll and made a dismissive movement with his hand.

Zelda shouldered the huge basket and left. Carrying a basket of melons on her back from upper market to the rich quarter would be hard, but she needed the exercise anyway. And the payment would be glorious! Maybe she could afford something nice for dinner. Some tender piece of meat, or her favorite fish! Fresh bread and maybe she would even indulge in some kind of dessert.

The young woman made her way happily to the upper market. It took her quite some time. She had to pass the gate for the first ring, and controls there always were special. She was lucky to have a blue scroll, otherwise she might have had to pay a small fee.

Finally, the big, luxurious market was before her. The goods here were the selected best from everything. Fruits, meat, clothes, weapons, accessories, jewelries, everything. Only the wealthy bought here, though technically, everyone was allowed to spend money here.

Depending on her payment, she considered taking a look at that market stand with fresh saltwater fish.

Before her mouth started to water, she quickly went on and searched for the best melons she could find. To have a better idea what she was looking for, she opened the blue scroll. Coins slipped into her hand. The budget clearly called for only the best, and the assignment stated, that only juicy honey melons should be bought.

She almost cried out when she saw the address of the client.

It was the same address she had been at last night. Ganondorf's villa. Could this really be a coincidence? Or was this an elaborately laid trap? He never saw her face, or her hair, and even if he had, he would have never been able to know who she was!

It couldn't be. This must be simply coincidence. Luck!

Zelda retreated in the shadow of a lemon stand and stared at the neat handwriting before her. Clear, exact words, almost no flourishes to the letters. The signature, however, was big and cursive and flowing.

The young thief gnawed at her lower lip, weighing the risk of a trap against the alluringly high payment she would get. Finally, she decided that the risk was minimal.

The Great Advisor just couldn't know her, or anything about her except her eye color. He had no name, no address. No one had tailed her when she had arrived home.

Zelda took a deep breath and looked again at the assignment, this time actually reading more than just the address. It clearly stated to bring honey melons from the Labran coast.

Finding that vendor wasn't hard. The market crier for the Labran melons was by far the loudest. And they only sold their melons to Zelda when she showed them the assignment. The Great Three forbid a person of lower status should save up money to indulge in expensive fruits!

She almost snorted at the snobbishness of the vendor. Remaining polite, Zelda waited until her basket was filled to the brim with the huge fruits. She paid the vendor and put assignment and change back in her bag, before making her way to Ganondorf's villa.

It was a long way, even from the upper market. The weight of the melons was tiring her fast, but she knew from some point, it was more a thing of willpower than muscles. Muscles could do much more than one would think, if you just had the mind to withstand the burning in them.

She could do this. After all, she knew how far she needed to go.

When she saw the protecting walls of the villa, Zelda was relieved and wary at the same time. Nearing the entry for deliveries and servants, she hesitated for a moment, before mustering all her courage and rappring the door with the knocker.

Zelda didn't hear any footsteps. The sudden opening of the door made her take a surprised step back. A very thin, tall person stood in the door. They were dressed in sand colors, adorned with a red sash and red seams.

They had incredibly high cheekbones, feathered ears and the hair was covered with a layer of feathers sprouting from the head, spreading all the way down to the shoulders and farther.

The young thief was fascinated. Before she could stare, Zelda bowed slightly. "I am bringing the melons for Great Advisor Ganondorf. Here is the assignment."

She held out the blue scroll.

The half-rito took it. "Come in. There are refreshments in the kitchen for you. Dahlia will take care of the melons there." Their voice was soft, deep, and had a lilting caw.

This was it, then. She could enter the villa and hope this really wasn't an elaborately constructed trap. Or she could politely decline.

Her feet, however, carried her all by themselves into the small courtyard behind the delivery entrance. The half-rito closed the heavy door behind her, and Zelda blinked. She was not supposed to be here. She really wasn't. Curiosity, payment and all, she should have stayed outside!

"Follow me." the half-rito waved their hand, pointing to another door across the courtyard. They weren't even quite through the kitchen door, when someone took the basket off Zelda's shoulders, carrying them away down into the cellar.

Rubbing her sore shoulders, she looked around the kitchen. It was bright, daylight illuminating huge, sturdy tables with fruits and meat and knives and a lot more things she didn't even have a name for.

Her guide smiled slightly. They offered Zelda a seat in front of a plate filled with delicious sandwiches. Dark, soft bread around some cold roast and a thick chutney-like something. There were grapes and a melon slice, and a mug filled with warm, spicy tea.

If this was her last meal, she could die happily for sure. Could luck be really on her side this much? A well paid assignment and a delicious, luxurious meal on top?

Skeptically, Zelda looked to the half-rito, then to one of the kitchen servants.

She cleared her throat. "Thank you for your kindness and welcome. I will respect your rules, honor the peace of this house and praise the chef."

She cringed a little inside, because she had already broken the peace of the house once.

"A very old greeting, but accepted nonetheless. Be our guest. Your payment shall follow soon, do not worry."

With that, the half-rito left the kitchen gracefully.

Zelda allowed herself to stare for a few heartbeats, then she dug into the food with as much manners as she could muster.


	4. The Great Giver

The half-rito accompanied Zelda on her way out a little later. As promised, they gave her the payment for the assignment.

"Be sure to visit Master Arimu again tomorrow. Our usual delivery man is out of commission for this week. Dahlia was very satisfied with the fruits you picked and with the care you handled them. She said to hire you for the whole week."

Zelda looked at her small pouch that now contained very valuable coins. She hadn't had that much money to spend since the information she sold about some affair of some nobleman quite a while ago. Ages ago.

The thought of earning again as much tomorrow, and the day after tomorrow and even more days than that made her slightly dizzy.

"Our Lord will be the Great Giver this year. Therefore, we need a lot of fruits delivered. There might be more than one delivery on one day. Are you able to do that? If not, we need to hire a second deliverer." The half-rito sounded slightly worried.

The young Hylian snapped out of her daydreaming and nodded. "I can do this."

"Good. Master Arimu will have the assignment upon opening his office. May the Three shine upon you."

"And illuminate your path," Zelda replied. She stepped outside onto the street and watched the beautiful half-rito person close the door behind her.

As calm as she could manage, the young thief walked down the side street, took a turn, walked some more, then headed for a quiet corner with a small fountain dedicated to the Goddess of Life. The water poured from Hylia's hair down the statue's arms and finally spilled from the hands into a smooth basin.

Zelda refreshed herself, sprinkling some of it in her face and drinking a few handful. Sitting down on the basin's rim, she opened her pouch, inspecting the glorious sparkling inside. Coins came in three types and three colors.

There were the fully colored coins.

The fully colored coins were cheap tin in blue, green and red, imprinted with the kingdom's emblem. Similarly unspectacular where the names: blue-tin, green-tin and red-tin. Most of the people just called them blues, greens and reds.

The second type of coins was made from copper, silver and gold and had only colored rings around them, using the same color scheme as the small money. Copper and blue, silver and green, gold and red. Nayral, faral and dinal.

The third type of coins, she had never seen in her life. Only rich people used them. But someone told Zelda once, that the third coin trio was made from platinum and had rims made from colored crystal. She didn't even know the names for those coins, only that despite blue being the one with the least worth was still an horrendous amount of money to her.

She always found it strange. Blue was the rarest color and yet, the money that was lowest in worth was blue.

Usually, Zelda carried mostly blues, greens and reds. If assignments went well, she had a nayral.

Today, her pouch was filled with three nayral and a faral. She still couldn't believe it. She still thought there must be a catch somewhere.

But the money was not everything! The half-rito had also entrusted her with information that was giving her the opportunity to get back her medallion.

Ganondorf was the Great Giver this year, and as the Great Giver, he would mingle with the poor people on the last day of the festival. He would watch the Great Dance and pick six persons to dance with. If she only managed to get into the crowd of competing dancers to win his attention, she might even be able to get close to him without risk!

Zelda clutched her pouch to her chest and sent a silent prayer of thanks to Farore, before continuing her way home. She had been blessed with money and information, and she wouldn't let got any of this to waste!

She decided to take off the rest of the day and indulge in finer goods. She wanted fish, and she wanted fruits and she wanted a sweet something from a bakery. This should be her feast.

And what if she didn't get the assignment tomorrow? What if the other deliverer needed the money too bad to stay home?

"I don't care," Zelda whispered. "I can afford this. If I spend this much money, there is still left enough for two careful days."

Determined, she went to the upper market again. In the first quarter of the many colorful stands were the ones with goods that were better than in the lower market, and also affordable for her.

Zelda bought one small rainbow fish, a honey melon and a small tart made with sour apples, but with a caramelized crust covering the fruit filling.

Upon carefully putting everything in her bag, her eyes fell onto a group of dancers.

There were three of them, their dark, oiled skin glistening in the sun while they moved not only gracefully, but also with an powerful compassion. Their red hair was tamed into braids of different styles, adorned with jewels or golden rings.

Brightly colored powder highlighted their lips and eyelids.

Zelda wasn't even aware she was staring. The Gerudo dancers were fascinating, so fascinating, the young thief decided to share a little of her money. She threw a few colored coins onto the dark red shawl on the ground.

It was really meager, compared to what others here already had contributed. One of the dancers winked at her nevertheless.

An excited blush tinted Zelda's cheeks. She bowed hastily and kept staring a moment longer, before making her way home.

Ganondorf returned late from the council. His guards greeted him from their positions as usual. Greeting back with a nod, he climbed the flat stairs to the main entrance of his home, where Ezrin was already waiting for him. That was never a good sign.

"Shouldn't a great Lord like yourself have better means of transportation than his own feet?", they cawed with a mild scold in their voice.

The Gerudo snorted. "I needed some fresh air after a day of dusty rooms and even dustier opinions. I know how to handle myself on the streets." The upper ring was a very safe zone, with lots of royal guards, so it was not too unusual for the nobility to walk instead of ride or being carried.

Ezrin lifted an eyebrow. "Indeed. But Dahlia wishes you would for once return in time for the meal she prepared. Which is now cold, of course."

Ganondorf gave another snort. "Dahlia has many mouths to feed, and still she is not happy! It seems we need to invite to another feast to honor her cooking skills. Did at least the new deliverer please her?"

The half-rito closed the door behind him, their hands vanishing into their sleeves. "Indeed. Very pleased. The young person brought formidable melons. They will come again tomorrow."

"Good. That covers the fruit I want to share with the poor. What about the tailor? I hope he is up to the challenge." He slipped out of his surcoat and gave it to a young servant.

"The tailor promised to have all the sturdy, warm shawls prepared by the time you set out for the Great Dance. I took the freedom of visiting a few of the cookshops you proposed and hired three of them." Ezrin followed their Lord to the kitchen.

Ganondorf faltered for a moment when he passed by the stool Zelda had sat on hours ago. With a thoughtful stare, he let his fingers touch the table, his eyes narrowing for a moment, before his focus was broken.

"There you are! I made your favorite roast, glazed with honey and pepper, and even went through the process of preparing sweet vinegar onions and mashed chickpeas! And here you are, late and all's gone cold." The woman with the splotchy apron and the deep voice scolded him, breaking his concentration on the stool subject.

Graceful and calm, Ganondorf turned. "Dearest Dahlia. Missing out on your delicious cookery is a grave matter, yet I fear the dusty-minded council members have no regard for truly amazing kitchen craft."

The cook muttered something under her breath.

"But as you know, I enjoy your meals, be they cold or warm. And I am starving. The castle clearly should provide better refreshments for such long discussions." Ganondorf rubbed his shoulders and temples. If he were the seneschal of that filthy rich place, he would order new chairs at once.

Dahlia sighed. "I will see what I can do about the food. Rest now, my Lord. I am sure I can assort something nice for you."

Ganondorf kissed her cheek. "I have no doubt of that. But you, too, should consider resting. We have agreed on certain working hours in this house." She mumbled something.

He chuckled and turned to leave the kitchen.

Once again, he hesitated upon passing the stool, his eyes narrowing. While Dahlia already had set to work, Ezrin picked up on his behaviour. "Is something wrong, my Lord?"

"Who used that stool?"

The half-rito frowned. "Only the deliverer for the melons. As per usual, they received food and drink."

"I see. Very well. Keep the deliverer." The Gerudo scratched his beard thoughtfully.

"They are already hired for the duration of the festival. Do you wish me to draft an assignment with extended hiring?" Ezrin asked calmly.

"Let's see what the week brings, first. Thank you for your good service, Ezrin. That is all for today. Don't let your beloved wait any longer." He smirked knowingly, drawing a mildly annoyed caw from his seneschal.

"She will come late herself, I am sure. Today is a gambling tournament in the Tingling Turkey. It is unlikely she is home yet, and for the case she is, I have prepared a few of Dahlia's lemon cookies."

"Wise." Ganondorf laughed. "Have a nice night, Ezrin. I don't want to see you here before ninth hour."

The half-rito bowed and left through the side entrance of the kitchen.

Ganondorf let his fingers slide over the stool for a last time, before leaving Dahlia to herself.


	5. Great Advisor Ganondorf

The next day came fast. Waking before dawn, Zelda took the freedom of hiding a little longer under her blanket. Reveling in the warmth, she pondered over the things she had learned the day before.

The Great Dance would be in a few days. There wasn't much time to learn a dance that would draw Ganondorf's attention.

She rolled onto her back and stared at the ceiling. She already had decided to try learning a Gerudo dance. But which one? She knew almost nothing about the Gerudo, except that they were a people of mostly nomads, divided into multiple tribes.

That meant she required more information, before she could even try to learn a dance. She needed to find out about Ganondorf's roots, and more about Gerudo in general. That again meant a visit in the library.

With a yawn, the young thief got up. Folding her blanket, she considered her options. Usually, she visited the library at night, though 'breaking in' was probably the more accurate thing to say.

However, with the money she now possessed, she could afford the entrance fee for a week. Working a hard day assignment, research and dance lessons would take up a lot of time, so she needed to be efficient about this.

"I just hope I can even afford the fee for the dance lessons.", she mumbled to herself. Those Gerudo she saw on the upper market yesterday had looked like the perfect deal. Their grace and strength were exactly what Zelda wanted to radiate. But would they even teach her?

All things she needed to find out _today._ Or else finding a Plan B dance teacher would become highly improbable.

Zelda lifted her hand to her chest, praying to the Three for strength, cunningness and luck.

Swiftly, she washed herself, dressed and prepared breakfast. She had set aside a bit of fruit and pastry for today.

She really could get used to tart and honey melon for breakfast, though both of it wouldn't sustain her for long.

Eating her treasures together with buttered slices of slightly stale bread and a hard boiled egg was still satisfying.

When she left her home, the first sun rays crept over the horizon. She bought some fruits from the shady street shop and set out for Arimu's office.

Today's assignment were different fruits. Coconuts, apples and figs. Zelda cursed inwardly. She knew how to find the best figs and apples. She once helped out at a fruit stand for a few days. But that stand didn't have coconuts.

It couldn't be helped. Maybe luck would guide her, or maybe choosing well when it came to apples and figs would made up for not so delicious coconuts.

She headed for the upper market. It took her a while to assemble all the fruits into her basket. The coconuts came first. She tried to watch and learn from the merchant, who was advising a customer which coconuts to buy.

After that came the apples. Zelda chose three different kinds of apples. Yellow, green and red ones, marked with the seal of the East Hyrian Orchard.

The figs were easy. She had sold so many of them and it only took a little look here and a sniff there to find out what was good. If the color was dark but the smell not too sweet, a fig was perfect. The young thief took figs a little less dark. After all, they needed to survive for a few days without going bad.

Around the ninth hour, Zelda arrived at Ganondorf's villa. She knocked at the side entrance, just like the day before. This time, it wasn't the half-rito opening, but the person who'd taken the melons from her the day before.

"Ah, it's you. Come on in, small one! Let me take the basket, it must be heavy," the person said. Before Zelda even had the time to object, strong hands lifted the basket from her shoulders, so she gave up her charge and stepped out of the straps.

"Now, that's better. There is already a meal waiting for you. Come with me to the kitchen. I am Dahlia, the chef. Call me her or she, yes?" The woman smiled brightly.

Not used to so much friendliness, Zelda shivered a little. Most people weren't unfriendly, but her experience had taught her, the more noble the person, the less friendly they were to the poor or servant folks.

"I'm Zelda," she introduced herself hesitantly. Her real name was a smaller risk than her street name. No one in her neighbourhood knew her true name. And if she was found out after all, at least looking after someone named Zelda would not give them an advantage.

"Zelda. Such a nice name! It's very blessed, I hope it brings you lots of luck."

They entered the kitchen, where. Dahlia turned in direction of the cellar. "You go have that meal. And be polite to our other kitchen guest!" she said, her voice becoming more distant, the farther she went down the stairs.

Other guest?, Zelda thought warily. She froze, when she saw the huge man sitting at the same kitchen table she had eaten sandwiches yesterday.

It was him! She had been found out, she must have given herself away yesterday somehow!

Staring at the Great Advisor himself, she couldn't move. Her heart was beating a frenzy rhythm.

He, however, didn't even glance at her. Instead, he was eating some kind of thick, creamy something very peacefully. It could be porridge, but she only knew porridge as thin, watery grain soup.

Zelda knew she had to sit down and eat. She couldn't run, that would have been suspicious. And it was stupid to think they knew she was the fruit thief. How would they?

It took her more willpower than she'd wanted to admit to make a step towards him. Warily, she approached the stool from yesterday. Only then did he lift his gaze.

"Dahlia praised the melons you brought yesterday. So I decided to eat with you. I know all our deliverers." He smiled at her, stretching out his hand to pull the stool from out under the table.

Zelda sat down silently. Her plate was filled with stone berries and sandwiches. Lifting the upper half of one, she found a thick sauce that smelled slightly smoky. And something that probably was fish.

"That is salmon steak with caramelized crust, medium rare, and Dahlia's amazing smokey sauce with hot spices. I hope you like eating hot.." His voice sounded teasing, and sure enough he had a slightly mocking grin on his handsome face.

The young thief gave a shrug. She didn't dare to speak, in fear he would recognize her voice. But damn, had she questions! Like, why he, the rich Lord, didn't eat fancy salmon sandwich, but some slimy thick grain-soup.

Or how he got the idea of eating with the deliverers. They were working folks! Or, most importantly, questions about his tribe. And his tribe's dances.

Too obvious. Just keep silent, be nice and eat, Zelda thought. She grabbed one of the sandwiches and took a huge bite.

The hot sauce made her eyes water. Ganondorf laughed silently. Zelda chewed, swallowed and breathed. Sure, the salmon sandwich was very delicious, but the sauce would probably numb her taste buds within moments.

That made her eyes water for different reasons. Was she punished? Did they give her a tasty, glorious sandwich, only to torture her with too much spice? Sulking, she took a few stone berries and glared at the dark sauce dripping from between the bread slices.

Ganondorf chuckled. He beckoned another servant. "Fetch the young person here some milk, will you?" The servant nodded and scurried away, only to return with a mug of creamy milk.

Zelda mumbled a polite thank you, not daring to speak clearly or loud. She took a huge a huge sip. This was good, thick goat milk. Not the thinned stuff she could afford.

Stealing a glance over to the Gerudo, she fought her way through the sandwich, determined to not let it go to waste. He didn't comment, just ate his slimy soup. Even when she felt sweat trickle down her neck and forehead, and her tongue was tingling and buzzing, and all the milk was gone, he kept silent.

Zelda tried to make her best, serious face. She mourned that she couldn't ask him questions. But it was too risky.

So she stood, pushed the stool back under the table, carried the empty plate to a sink, bowed to the Great Advisor and waited for someone to pay her.

The man sighed. "You are a silent one, it seems. Doesn't really fit your strange manners, but I do understand that the proximity of a Lord can be intimidating."

He rose, drawing a purse from his pocket. Picking a few coins, he came over and offered them to her.

The young thief bowed, and swiftly gathered the coins from his hand into her own purse.

"You know the way out, I suppose. Thank you for your service. I shall be delighted to eat more fruits picked by your hand." Ganondorf smiled brightly.

It was kind of vexing. But she nodded with a polite smile in return. She wondered how old the Great Advisor was. Another question she couldn't ask him.

Zelda retreated to the door without leaving him out of sight, then slipped outside into the small courtyard.

She still didn't know anything much about him, but it couldn't be helped.

It was time to find a dancing teacher.

Ganondorf smiled to himself while reading through some documents. He looked up with the same smile, when Nabooru entered for the morning report. She scoffed.

"Finding you in such a good mood is almost unnerving. What happened?"

He laughed. "Well why, can I not be happy just like that?"

"No. I know you too well. Something happened. So spill the beans, will you?"

"I am not sure if it is luck or fate, but our new deliverer is with a very high certainty the thief who dared stealing from my gardens," he said, his smile widening even more.

Nabooru stared at him, frowning. "The chances of that are pretty unlikely. What if this IS fate?"

He snorted. "Fate is such a fickle thing. I would like to call it luck, or at least a lucky accident. However, except for their name, I didn't find out anything. They are called Zelda."

"That.. is a very unusual name among working folks. Most of them think it is bad luck to name their children after a Queen who lost her child and died. You know how superstitious some people can be.. Your deliverer might have lied." Nabooru leaned with her hip against his antique writing desk.

Ganondorf nodded. "Might have. However, I don't believe it. There is something about them. About their aura and their behaviour. And their eyes.."

"And that name, I guess? Gan, you are a powerful man and a very skilled magician. But reading auras is not your best knack. Sure, that child might be the thief, I give you that, but anything else seems ridiculous."

The Great Advisor smirked. "Says the warrior who just spoke of fate."

Nabooru scowled.


	6. Learning to Dance

Zelda had been in the library for hours. For once, she had paid the fee, entered the dusty halls of wisdom legally and grabbed all the books about Gerudo she could find. The really big library would probably have more relevant books for her, but she didn't want to afford that fee.

While she didn't find out more about Ganondorf's tribe (or his age), she at least found out a bit about dances.

There were dances for joy and feasting, and there were dances for special occasions. While the tribes had each a few different of them, they did share the most important dances. Praising Din, election of a new chieftain, welcoming the newborns of the year..

Leaning back in the creaking chair, she rubbed her eyes. She stared at a page that described the Dance of Thieves. Long ago it had been danced to celebrate a successful raid without bloodshed.

Today it obviously was more of a way to tell the parents you had stolen their child's heart.

Zelda gnawed at her lower lip. There was decidedly too few information in the book to learn the dance alone from that. But looking at the pictures, this one, the Dance of Thieves, it spoke to her.

"That's crazy," she whispered. Taking a look around, she made sure no one was near, then she ripped out the two pages. She would bring them back another time.

Stuffing the pages in her surcoat, Zelda closed the book and returned it to the shelf.

She left the blessedly cool library, heading for the upper market. Those Gerudo dancers hadn't left her mind ever since she'd seen them dancing. Zelda hoped she could be brave enough to ask them to teach her.

She grumbled a little at herself.

I am a thief and a hard worker, I have survived for so long, stolen from rich people and even made a place in the Guild. And here come a few Gerudo dancers and I am all timid and bewitched at the same time!, Zelda thought.

No! She would be confident and polite, but not shy!

Sure enough, she found the Gerudo dancers in the exact same spot as the day before. They were magnificent. No wonder people threw them money constantly. It almost rained coins after every dance.

Zelda's heart sank. Would they even listen to her? Such amazing performers, why should they waste their time with her?

You haven't even tried yet, she told herself.

Stepping forward, she opened her pouch and picked a nayral. It was much, so much for her, even after the second payment. But there was no receiving without giving, and this would hopefully help her cause.

Instead of dropping the coin onto the shawl that was lying on the ground, she offered it directly to one of the dancers.

It was gone from her hand with a swirl of the Gerudo. Zelda opened her mouth to talk to her, but the dancer just winked and loosened a sash from her hips.

Before the young thief knew what happened, she was caught with the sash and in the middle of the dance. Stumbling, she tried to gain back her footing.

The dancers caught her, whirled her around, softly slid their bodies past her with the lightest touch. Zelda tried her best to follow the flow of the dancers, imitating steps and poses, but in comparison to them it must look ridiculous.

She blushed with embarrassment. Still, she tried, refusing to give up. Finally, they released her from their circle.

Numbly, Zelda noticed the applause and the rain of coins, the laughter of the people. It wasn't a mean laughter, it was warm and amused.

None of them would have wanted to take my place, I bet, she thought. Looking up, she let that thought go immediately. Dreamy eyes were staring blissfully into nothingness here and there.

One of the Gerudo collected the coins and thanked the audience for its generosity. Zelda automatically checked if she still had all her belongings. Such a dance was the perfect opportunity for distraction and theft.

Not that the dancers would have needed it. They were rich, judging by what people had thrown them. So much gold, silver and copper glittering on the sash.

"It seems, you need this contribution more than we do, little one.", the first dancer said.

She is so tall, and her voice such a strange, soft rasp, Zelda thought.

"I gave what I gave.", Zelda replied. "Also, I have a favor to ask."

The Gerudo woman laughed. "Bold. What favors could you ask of dancers?"

Trying to sound determined, Zelda straightened. "The Great Dance is coming up. I wanna impress the Great Giver. He is Gerudo and I want to learn the Dance of Thieves. I ask you humbly to help me learn it, and I will pay whatever I can give."

Silence.

All three of the dancers exchanged a stunned, then an amused look. The coin the first one had wanted to return vanished now in her fist.

"Bold.", she said again. "You can't pay us. Not even all the contents of your pouch would suffice, and we aren't keen on making you too poor to survive."

Zelda's heart sank.

"But.", another one chimed in. "Your boldness and swiftness are intriguing. So we strike a deal. We teach you. If you become one of the Great Giver's favorites, you shall pay what you can pay. If not, you will have to dance with us, until you've earned a share that would be good enough for us."

"The training is hard.", said the third one. "And it's only three nights hence. That's very short to learn such a special dance.."

"I'll do it! I take the deal!" Zelda brought forth her hand immediately. This was all or nothing, but she could live with that. It was a fair deal. She could move. She wasn't a dancer, but she was a thief, and she danced with danger often enough. She was swift and cunning, so she could do this.

The first Gerudo smiled. "So be it."

Taking Zelda's hand in a firm grasp, she pulled her closer. "Also, you are awfully cute, little one."

Zelda blushed.


	7. Dancing Thieves

The following days were pain. Muscle pain, mostly. Zelda rose early, fetched her assignment, went to pick up fruits, carried them to Ganondorf's villa. She had always to go more than one time, and she never stayed too long. She didn't meet Ganondorf again, either.

After the meal there, she went to the Gerudo. While two of them danced on the market, one of them taught her the Dance of Thieves. That was really hard work. Even carrying melons all day was not as hard as this.

Zelda was trained for hours, until it was night and the Gerudo went to the Sun-and-Moon Festival to earn their money there. At home, she trained until her feet finally gave out, then fell into her bed and slept.

Her muscles were sore every day, but she refused to give up. The Gerudo teaching her - it was the one who had winked at her, Shaaru - was a strict but fair teacher. She didn't praise much.

However, if she did, it also meant Zelda really made progress.

Finally, it was the last evening before the end of the festival. Zelda sat on the ground of the courtyard where she was being trained, her sweat making everything stick to her. Her feet had blisters and bled, but at this point, she couldn't feel much of them anyway.

Shaara approached and handed her a waterskin and a bun. "You will come back tomorrow. We will dress you for your dance. Now let me see your feet and legs."

She sat down and took one of Zelda's feet.

The young woman pressed her lips together, as Shaara unwrapped the bandages already there. Silently, she applied a salve and wrapped new bandages around the foot and ankle, then massaged the whole leg.

"You are too kind." Zelda mumbled.

"I want to see your dance, little one. Bleeding feet are something every dancer knows, but otherwise? I don't want to get you hurt. You have a big day tomorrow. So we help. That's part of the package." Shaara smiled.

She proceeded to the other leg and foot. The silence that fell between them was warm and welcoming one. Zelda ate her bun and drank water, but she also observed the Gerudo woman.

Her muscles, her grace, her strength.. All things she admired. But also, the woman was kind and compassionate. Strict and calm when teaching, gentle and a bit flirtatious when not. And so much more.

"All done. Better go home and rest for today. No training! We will go through the dance once more tomorrow before preparations. You will do fine, little one." The Gerudo touched Zelda's shoulder lightly and stood.

The young thief beamed and laughed. She felt elated by that praise, by what she had accomplished, by how that hard work felt like it would pay off.

"Thank you so much, Shaara."

Zelda came to her feet, bowed and returned the water skin. She was tired. And it was a long way home.

After exchanging goodbyes, she slowly made her way to her home, using the less frequented side streets to avoid the festival goers.

When Zelda arrived in the courtyard on the next day, she brought a stack of Dahlia's honey cookies as a gift. The Gerudo were delighted. They shared tea and cookies with Zelda, before they started with their procedure.

First, Zelda had to take a bath. The water in the tub was cold, but with the temperatures being always hot, it was a welcome refreshment.

After, they oiled her body and massaged her. Dressed her in one of their old dancer garment, fitted to her proportions. Highlighted her eyes with kohl.

Her hair was to short to adorn it with jewels or golden rings, so they gave her a long veil on a comb, that fell over her head and down her back.

The bright blue of the gauzy sleeves and pants matched almost with Zelda's eyes. She was grateful that Shaara picked an outfit, that was not too revealing. Sure, her legs and arms and belly were visible through the thin fabric.

The chest piece however was high necked, and the sash around her hip fell loosely like a skirt well to the middle of her thighs.

"It is blue," Zelda said. Blue was a special color. Surely, this dancing outfit was very expensive.

Shaara shrugged. "It is, and it is the best color for you. And only the best color shall you wear for the best dance, right?"

"It's a shame you are going to wear a mask. Your eyes would be so captivating.", the second Gerudo sighed.

Shaara clicked her tongue at her friend, then tried to reassure Zelda, "Don't worry. You look beautiful. Now go. We will follow shortly and watch." Shaara smirked.

"Thank you for everything. I will not disappoint you." The young thief promised. Only three days, but she really wanted the approval of those Gerudo, wanted to be acknowledged, wanted to be seen as a friend. (And of course, she wanted her medallion back)

Those three's warm and compassionate nature made it so easy to fall for them, Zelda found.

With a last bow, she turned and left the courtyard. The streets were crowded with people. The last day was always the loudest, everyone wanted to celebrate to their fullest, before the festival ended.

The place of the Great Dance was the same every year. It was the only time when the lower market became rich with colors, music and people from all parts of the city. There was food and drinks, too.

Only the space for the actual dancing was empty. Ganondorf was already there. Instead of sitting on the pompous chair of the Great Giver, he was in the middle of the crowd, handing out melons, pears, apples, figs and dates, as well as beautiful, green shawls.

Cookshops provided more food. Meat from the grill, vegetables and bread.

It was a nice gift. Food and something to keep you warm in the cool nights. Something with color. The people loved him.

Slightly nervous, she put on her Moon mask and made her way to where the dancers gathered. She was not the only one in Gerudo dancing garment. Despite the bright and friendly character of the festival, she felt the pressure among the dancers. Some of them looked ambitious. This seemed to be more of a competition than Zelda had anticipated.

Tapping her food repeatedly on the ground, she looked around. Ganondorf still made no haste to declare the beginning of the dance. He gave, and gave, and gave. Obviously, he wanted to live up to his title. Somehow, this made Zelda like him a little.

He really cared, it seemed.

Finally, he sat down on his chair. Looking over the crowd, he merely lifted a hand. The dancers poured into the free space on the market place. A small orchestra started to play the music for the Great Dance, and everyone began to move at once.

Zelda asked herself how Ganondorf should see her in this crowd. She needed a better place! The young thief started dancing, but she didn't remain on her spot. Instead, she used her movements to dodge others, whirl around, and swiftly find an opening to get a little closer to the front.

When she was satisfied, she tried to lose herself in the music. Just as she had been taught, she found the rhythm, she didn't think of Ganondorf or the competition or the world at all. Instead, she flowed.

Her hands made arcs, and her feet knew the steps by heart. It was elating. It was exhausting. A whirl and a bow, stretching and jumping, lifting the arms for pretty figures. Every muscle in her body hurt, and her feet were numb with pain. But she danced, and she flowed and she hoped Shaara would watch and be a little proud.

When the music stopped, so did all dancers. Zelda didn't know if she had even drawn a little attention. Now her heart beat for a different reason than exertion.

Ganondorf had watched the dancers carefully. Picking six from among such a crowd was difficult. Except for one.

He saw her immediately, the blue streak of beauty, graceful, and in Gerudo garment. She wasn't the only one having donned one. But the only one dancing a Gerudo dance with almost perfection.

The Great Advisor recognized it. The Dance of Thieves had a long tradition, longer than the different tribes of the Gerudo that had been one a long, long time ago. And he knew. It wasn't her aura giving her away, no. Reading auras in that crowd was impossible for him.

It was the dance. The name of the dance. How she danced. Everything about her. She was the thief. And she was the deliverer. He was sure of it, but he would need to confirm it.

When she was here and dancing such a provoking dance, there was no doubt it was to get his attention.

So she had business with him.

Intrigued by her determination, he watched her far too long, before he remembered that other dancers needed to be picked. Swiftly, he took a look at the crowd.

When the music stopped, Ganondorf rose. Nabooru brought him six flowers, five with red petals, and one with blue ones.

The crowd was silent, while he stepped down from the small dais.

The dancers stepped aside where he moved. And he looked at her, he directly went to-

Me. He is coming here, Zelda thought. She swallowed hard. This was it. He must choose her, must! Please, Din, Nayru and Farore, don't let him take a turn, don't let him..

He stood in front of her.

"You shall have my first dance.", Ganondorf said, holding out the blue flower.

Numbly, Zelda took it. She did it. She had a dance with Ganondorf.

A little stiff, she went to the dais, where the chosen would wait for the Great Giver and their dance.

What should she say? Her mind had been so occupied with dancing and working and other things, that she forgot to think about what she should actually say to him!

The second, third and fourth dancer came to the dais. The fifth.. The sixth.

Ganondorf returned and offered Zelda his hand.

"You look exhausted. I hope a less demanding choice of song is to your liking. Just let me take the lead and relax."

She merely nodded. The music started playing, a foreign tune unknown to her. It was light and soft and like a breeze.

He only touched her lightly and his smile seemed sincere.

"So. Tell me, are you the one who has stolen my cherries?", Ganondorf asked, his deep voice amused.

Zelda frowned. So he did understand the hint with the dance! Fine, that would make it just easier for her! Trying to concentrate, not only on her words, but also on his movements, she looked him straight in the eyes.

"I am," she admitted, and at the same time her fingers slipped fast into one of his pockets and out again. Empty.

"I must admit, I am intrigued by so much boldness. Stealing from my very gardens, almost breaking my nose and then have the courage to show up here, in the open.." The Gerudo lifted an eyebrow.

Zelda let him guide her through a combination of steps and whirls. She tried another of his pockets, but it was also empty.

When he made her bend backwards, she lifted a hand to his chest. There was nothing under the fabric. He didn't have her amulet with him, or he had pockets she didn't find. Which was unlikely.

"The day of the Great Dance is also the day of forgiveness. How about I return your cherry and you give me back what you stole from **me**?" she proposed.

He chuckled. Indeed, the man really seemed to have a good time. Zelda was not sure how to handle this. She was just a poor thief, he was the Great Advisor. Yet she thought he should take her more serious.

"How about I forgive you the theft of my cherry, and you forgive me the theft of your medallion?" he asked with a smirk, drawing her closer to his body. He could see a mixture of panic and anger in her eyes.

"You are rich and powerful. What could a cherry mean to you? But that medallion is everything I have! Please…. Give me back my treasure, and I swear, you shall never see me again near your grounds.."

"That would be a shame," he interrupted her. "I like you. You have managed to get into my gardens, you have managed to get my attention while in the middle of a crowd. Please, do come and visit me."

"You are mocking me!" Zelda was shocked at how harshly she sounded. It was no good growling at him when she wanted something!

"But not in the slightest. I mean it. If you ever want to, you shall be welcome in my house. There are rules, of course. But you can be a guest. Or you can even stay. I can offer wisdom, knowledge, a good life." Ganondorf lifted her chin ever so slightly.

The music stopped.

Immediately, Zelda took half a step back. She shook her head. Why should he offer this, if not to make her a play thing or some kind of amusement? She didn't know him, and she didn't trust him.

"Please.. Just give it back," she begged.

He bowed gracefully, his expression now earnest. He looked disappointed.

"You must not beg further. I have already returned your possession. Thank you for your dance. It was perfect."

Ganondorf lifted her hand to his lips, the touch of them just like a flower petal brushing skin.

Zelda forgot to bow. She felt the well-known weight of her medallion around her neck.

The Great Advisor straightened again. With a last smile, he turned to fetch the next dancer.

She took a second to recover, then fled into the crowd, half expecting guards to pursue her.

Nothing happened. She ran, on her hurting feet, and when she reached the rusty pipe and the stinking gutter, she realized that she forgot to change clothes on the way. How careless.

Something brushed her hand. A petal.

Staring at the blue flower she still clutched in her fingers, Zelda wondered what it might be called, this flower.

But most of all, she wondered how Ganondorf had managed to return her treasure without her noticing it.


End file.
